An important electronic component of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver is a field-effect transistor (FET) that makes up stacked FET-type RF switches. An RF switch that is FET based typically needs linearity compensation to prevent generation of harmonic distortion when transmit signals are applied to the RF switch while the RF switch is in an off-state. The RF switch is effectively open while in the off-state, and the transmit signals are prevented from passing through the RF switch. However, while the RF switch is open, undesirable harmonics are generated from the transmit signals in part due to non-linear capacitance inherent to the RF switch. The undesirable harmonics pass from the RF switch and interfere with the RF transceiver's receiver circuitry.
A traditional approach to reducing the undesirable harmonics places an off-state linearization network in parallel with the RF switch. While this traditional approach does somewhat reduce the harmonic distortion when transmit signals are applied to the RF switch in the off-state, extra parasitic capacitance inherent to the off-state linearization network reduces figure of merit performance of the RF switch. Moreover, the off-state linearization network takes up valuable circuit real estate because it is external to the RF switch. What is needed is an electronic component having FET cells that make up a FET-based RF switch that does not reduce figure of merit performance of the RF switch due to extra parasitic capacitance. Moreover, there is a need for the RF switch based upon the FET cells to regain valuable real estate by intrinsically providing linearization for the RF switch and thus eliminate a need for external off-state linearization networks.